Hello to Hesperia
September 18th, 2008, 5:56 am · 2 Comments · posted by nlindstrom
Welcome to my blog, “Inside Hesperia.”
My name is Natasha Lindstrom, and I joined the Daily Press just seven weeks ago. I haven’t been here long, but I have already witnessed many exciting changes taking shape in Hesperia.
Most recently, the city approved the Main Street and Freeway Corridor Specific Plan, the most comprehensive effort to revitalize growth in Hesperia since its incorporation 20 years ago. The plan, which has been in the works for the past three years, reorganizes the zoning of the city’s main commercial corridors in an attempt to transform “the mostly vacant freeway corridor into a thriving regional commercial and entertainment center,” according to the plan’s proposal. It didn’t get passed without a public hearing that extended over two City Council meetings and included more than two dozen complaints from unhappy property owners.
The city is also finally beginning to buy right-of-way for the long-awaited Ranchero Road underpass, a project in the works for the past five years. The city received federal environmental final approval on Aug. 27, and the city should begin construction by this time next year.
The Hesperia Unified School District board has also kept me busy.
Bruce Minton’s resignation became official Sept. 1, nearly a month after he surprised his colleagues and community members when he made several accusations against fellow board members in the process.
The new busing policy implemented at the beginning of the school year sparked so many complaints from parents concerned about their children’s safety — about 300 phone calls in a four-day period alone — that the district reversed the changes at the end of August.
In case you want to know more about me, I am new to the area, without any family or friends within 100 miles, other than the ones I’ve made in the last few weeks. Born and raised in Phoenix, Ariz. — an even hotter desert — I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past four years studying at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit college nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley. I graduated in June with a bachelor of arts in communication and a bachelor of science in political science. After perusing the somewhat grim print journalism job market, I was thrilled to land the staff writer position here at the Daily Press.
I hope to update this blog frequently to provide you, the readers, with extra insights on the stories I’m covering and perhaps extended versions that don’t make it to the print edition. Most importantly, I want to provide a space for concerned residents or observers to open fruitful dialogues on any topic that interests them.
Ask me questions, pose questions to one another, tell me what you think I’ve missed or what upcoming relevant and compelling news you think should be covered.
Use the blog comments to suggest new topics or e-mail me with “blog” in the subject at nlindstrom@vvdailypress.com.
See you soon.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
I am commenting on the new Oak Hills High School being built on Ranchero Road in Oak Hills. I have been watching its progress now for several months. However, recently, I have discovered that the school district is not such a “good neighbor and good citizen”of our lovely Oak Hills. This morning I drove by the high school and was shocked at the odiferous stench of several tons of fresh cow manure. This evening, the smell had permeated for several square miles. This is the desert and the Hesperia School District should be (one would think) sensitive to our desert habitat and excessive water useage during this continued drought. Our tax dollars are being spent on manure and water, a waste in the high desert area that doesn’t support lawns anyway. They could have zero-scaped the high school with rock and junipers, and plants local to this area and weather extremes.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I honestly believe Hesperia and all high desert cities need to get rid of City Manager Government. I am for electing a strong Mayor form of Government for Hesperia and other high desert cities. A strong Mayor will be elected direct by the people for a term of 4 years and paid a modest salary. In return he or she will do the will of the people and not be influenced by special interest dollars. The current mayors in the high desert all nothing but figureheads who serve as ceremonial mayors and have no power or veto power to serve their communities. They look pretty in suits with golden shovels at groundbreaking ceremonies. Instead we need to become strong mayor cities that get the ball moving. San Bernardino, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco all have strong mayors. I believe the time is now to eliminate city manager government and put strong mayors into local office. If the support is there I will run for mayor of Hesperia.
last I would like to see the underpass at Mesa Street and Hesperia Road re-opened as a way to get to the eastern city limits and to avoid the nightmare of driving through Main or Bear Valley. This tunnel was in use when I moved here 15 years ago and it made a difference and it helped with traffic congestion. I propose bringing back this needed tunnel. if elected mayor I will do this as well as improve and build more parks and horse facilities. Come on Hesperians let’s get the ball rolling!